Bangladesh, China deepen bilateral ties in water resources management

To implement the consensus reached by Xi Jinping, President of China, and Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the interim Government of Bangladesh, in Beijing earlier this year, in which both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in the water resources sector, the Ministry of Water Resources of Bangladesh, hosted a high-level technical delegation from China from 27 July to 1 August in Dhaka and other locations across the country.
This visit marks a significant step forward in the long-standing partnership between the two nations in the water resources sector, says a press release.
The Chinese delegation was led by Xu Zhaoming, Chief Planner of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission (CWRC), under the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) of China. The delegation included senior engineers and experts from CWRC, the CISPDR Corporation, and the International Economic & Technical Cooperation and Exchange Center of China's MWR.
On the Bangladesh side, the engagement was led by Md. Enayet Ullah, Director General, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB). Senior officials from the Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), the River Research Institute (RRI), and other technical agencies participated in the discussions.
During the five-day visit, the delegation conducted extensive field visits to key areas affected by waterlogging, river pollution, salinity intrusion, and erosion, including the Buriganga River, Bhabadah in Jashore, and Polder 31 in Khulna's Dacope region. These visits provided a valuable firsthand insight into Bangladesh's challenges in water resource management.
On 31 July a bilateral technical meeting was held at Pani Bhaban, Dhaka, where both sides exchanged views on deepening cooperation. Both sides agreed to enhance the cooperation in water resources planning to promote sustainable, resilient, and inclusive water resources development. Both sides had discussion on the restoration of Buriganga river.